In a matter of two short years, Olivier Grenon has transformed himself from a struggling young man with no clear path, to a student painter poised to hit the $200,000 revenue mark by the end of 2021.
Not bad for an individual who claims his former success strategy amounted to always trying to take the easy way out.
In a recent conversation with Chris Thomson on our Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast, Olivier shared how he had always wanted to work in business but didn’t know where to start. Furthermore, he outlined how he was able to turn his life around and secure his spot week after week at the top of the Student Works leaderboard.
Grab your pen and notepad, because we’re here to share the 3 C’s that guided Olivier towards becoming the success he is today:
Confidence
While he once struggled with feelings of aimlessness, Olivier has grown increasingly confident during his tenure at Student Works. How could he not, with $90,000 of painting orders already under his belt?
“I know how to do the work, for example, I know how to paint that door. And when I’m on the phone I’m really more assertive. I know what it’s going to take to do a good job and I’m able to really give that energy to my clients and be confident and also let them be confident. That really helps me to sell all of the aspects of the business,” he told Chris.
Complacency
Did you just do a double take? Don’t fret, because Olivier states, from experience, that complacency is one of the top setbacks leaders of tomorrow need to avoid on their journey upwards.
“I did have a lot of sales. I thought I was ready. I thought I was just going to kill it and continue doing good. I stopped doing those little things that were gonna make me successful. I call it “The Production Wall” and the wall just hit me in the face. I got employees that quit the company and then … I was painting decks when I was supposed to be the manager who was selling,”
An airtight business operation can only exist under the watchful eye of a manager who remains vigilant of any loose ends that the company needs to address. Otherwise, you could end up in the same position Olivier was.
“It happens slowly. It’s not like one day you’re complacent. It’s a little bit everyday [where] you don’t do [all the work] and it feels good and then you start to get comfortable,”
Consistency
A key factor in all of our Student Works success stories is consistency. When you constantly put in the work, you yield greater results. In Oliviers time with Student Works, he’s measured his success by setting weekly goals that could hold him accountable.
“It’s not a big thing, [but it’s actually] a lot of small steps that are going to get you where you’re going,” he shared.
Small steps, big strides. We couldn’t agree more!
Are you a student looking to further your development as a leader and enter the exciting world of entrepreneurship? Check out more stories from Student Works participants and alumni on our Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast!
